Railroad-spike



(No Model.)

A. WELSH.

RAILROAD SPiKE.

No. 364,071. Patented May 31, 1887.

UNITgD STATES PATENT O FI ARTEMUS wnLsn, OF SOOITDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 310.364.0'71, dated May 31, 188'].v

Application filed August I0, 1886. Serial No. 210,552. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTEMUS WVELsI-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scottdale,in the county of .Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Spikes, of whichthe following is aspecification.

My invention is an improved railroadspike, and relates more particularly to improvements in that class of spikes which are so constructed as to be peculiarly adapted to be engaged by a claw-bar for removal from the tie, and also areso formed that when driven in they will be made to move toward the same and clamped firmly onthe base flange thereof.

My invention consists in a certain peculiar construction, whereby I provide aspike of .great strength, which can be driven into and withdrawn fromthe tie a large number of times without impairing its efficiency, as will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is aside elevation showing it adjusted upon a railway rail with smooth sides, as will be readily understood from Fig.3, and the lower end of the spike is tapered, as shown, so as to readily enter the tie.

The head B of the spike is of peculiar form. It is made flat on its upper surface, at a,which is arrangedin the plane of the vertical axis of the spike, and this point receives the blows of the sledge-hammer or other implement employed in driving the spike. The head of the spike is inclined, as at a from the front terminal end of the flat upper surface, a, to the front end of the projection G, presently referred to more particularly. The head of the spike is also provided with the curved side portions, a and the curved rear portions, a. It will thus be seen that I verynnaterially strengthen the head of the'sp'ike, where the greatest strain and force come in driving the spike, and that the head will withstand the ders would be without protection from the blows of a sledge-hammer, and a blow on the said portion would shatter the shoulders and destroy the spike. By my device, however, the shoulders are strengthened both at the rear and at the sides, and the possibility of their being shattered reduced to a minimum.

The sides of the spike-head are extended beyond the vertical side faces of the body orshank thereof to provide the extended shoulders D, and the lower or under surfaces of the claw-bar to snugly and firmly bear thereon in withdrawing the spike from the tie.

O designates an enlargement which projects these shoulders are curved or beveledto adapt beyond the front vertical face of the spike,

and is formed integral with the body or shank and the head of the spike. The sides of this enlargement lie parallel or flush with the sides of the shank or body, and the enlargement is arranged beneath the head and the shoulders thereof, the thickness of the same being such that the necessary strength is'insured. The lower under surface of the enlargement is inclined upwardly from the front face of the shank to the front face of the enlargement itself, and the outer terminal end of the inclined face lies in a plane considerably beneath the plane of the shoulders, whereby, when thespike is driven into the tie, the lower inclined face. of the enlargement rests on, and fits snugly against, the inclined upper side of tlle'foot of the rail, and the shouldersD are elevated above the tie, so that a space is provided between the which a claw or drawing bar can be readily fitted. This construction also strengthens the said projection by providing a body of metal above the front edge of the projection, which prevents its being bent up, and broken by coming in contact with the foot of the rail,

tie and the lower sides of the shoulders, in

F designates a strengthening-rib that is formed on the rear side of the spike and which bulges or projectsontwardly from the rear face thereof at a point considerably below the line where the spike enters the tie, so that the lower extremity of the rib will also enter the tie, and thus serve as a wedge in keeping thespike therein, in addition to strengthening the spike at its vital point in withdrawing it. The lower extremity of the rib is curved or inclined and gradually merges into the rear face of the spike, so that no abrupt surfaces are provided to retard the passage of thespike into thetie and render the operation of driving the spike more tedious andlaborious; but, on the contrary, the spike can be driven with the same case, owing to the shoulders D being out of contact with the tie, so that the claw-bar can take a very firm hold on the same. The strengthening rib or projection gradually enters the tie as the spike isdriven thereinto and serves as a wedge to force the spike toward the rail and hold it in the tie, and also -fills the space, which would otherwise be left open in the tie, back of the spike, in which water can accumulate and rust the spike.

- water is liable to settle and rot the tie and rust the spike, which is thereby more difficult and tedious to withdraw. The spike shown in the said patent is also provided with lateral flanges; but the head of the spike is made flat formed by the groove destroyed, so that the and thin at the points where the great strain comes thereon in driving the spike, and the said head consequently soon succumbs to and breaks under the force of the .blow. In my improved spike the greatest strength of the head is at the point where the greatest strain is exerted, and the driving'point is in the vertical axis of the spike, so that it will withstand the blows of the hammer, and the durability thereof is thereby greatly increased.

I am also aware of Patent No. 267,420, in which is shown a spike the head whereof is divided into two portions by a horizontal groove for the reception of the drawing or claw bar, which thereby greatly reduces the thickness and strength of that part of the head which receives the blows of the hammer, and the headsoon becomes broken and theshoulders spike cannot be easily withdrawn. This spike has also been provided with a central rib intermediate of its sides,which extends from the lower point of the shank or body to the upper surface of the head; but in my improved spike I increase the thickness of the rear side of the shank and widen the rib thusformed, sothat the sides thereof lie flush with-the vertical sides of the shank. My spike also is provided with a large ovalshaped head, the driving-point being directly over the vertical axis of the body and the head being inclined toward all sides in such manner as to strengthen and increase all parts of the head.

s I am also aware of Patent No. 277,597, in which is shown a spike having a flat head,the projecting portion of which is very thin, and consequently very liable to be broken off. This spike has an inclined or wedge back and its front face is provided with a transverse notch or groove intended to engage the edge of the foot of the rail. In practice it is found that after this spike is driven into, the tie far enough to bring this notch in line with the edge of the foot of the rail it is necessary to strike a blow on the backof the spike to force it into engagement with the rail, thereby leaving a water-space back of the spike.

I am also aware of Patent No. 328,103, in which a spike-head is shown having integral side shoulders anda flat upper surface. This flat upper surface, however, extends almost entirely across the head, and the head is con sequently very thin and weak. My spike, as before stated, has a large oval-shaped head with the fiat driving-point directly over the vertical axis of the body, and by reason of its oval shape the metal is so distributed as to strengthen and brace every part of the head.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved railroad-spike of simple and cheap construction, which'can be manufactured wholly by machinery, will withstand driving and drawing a large number of times, and is more durable and effective than those which have precededit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim;and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

As a new article of manufacture, a railroadspike having an enlarged oval-shaped head formed integral with the body or shank of the spike and provided with the flat driving-face a on its upper surface, in line with the vertical axis of thebody, the said head having the rear curved portion, a below which .is a proj ection, F, formed integral with the shank and gradually merging into the same, the projecting shoulders D, formed by the curved side portions, a and the front inclined portion, a", of the head projecting beyond the sides of the shank, and the integral enlargement O on the front face of the spike, having the inclined lower face 6, terminating at its upper end ona line beneath the plane of 'theshoulders, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

' ARTEMUS \VELSH. Witnesses:

Emma WELSH, R. G. LEEPER. 

